An unexpected USPS package appeared in the mail. I didn’t recall ordering anything and I didn’t recognize the return address. It wasn’t very likely (zero likelihood, actually) that I drank enough Miller High Life Light beer and earned enough points to get free apparel or accessories to flaunt and make all my friends jealous.
My imagination kept running wild until I opened it in the kitchen and discovered that it was a GoMotion Reactor Lightvest for safe nighttime running.
This could mean only one thing… The CEO of GoMotion must have followed this blog and was so impressed with the traffic volume that he or she realized that this would be a great venue for a product review.
No, not really. Here’s what really happened.
This year, the New Hampshire Reach the Beach Relay was having a special promotion where if you registered your team before March 1, the team captain would receive a free GoMotion Reactor vest.
Free vest + blog + writer’s block = product review.
Before I start, I should describe the nighttime safety gear I’ve been using as a frame of reference. I’ve been using this stuff for Reach the Beach since 2010 and for all other predawn running. Here it is:
It includes:
- A $14 reflective vest from Tractor Supply. It’s very lightweight, easy to run in, and after a while, I usually forget I’m wearing it. It has worked out very well over the years and has only suffered some fraying in the fastening stitches for the Velcro enclosure that can easily be fixed with a stapler.
- A $25 Petzl Tikkina 2 23-lumen headlamp from Runner’s Alley. It is adjustable in both brightness (2 settings) and vertical angle.
- (2) $8 Nathan blinking light for front and back. They have 7 mesmerizingly awesome blinking patterns to choose from. The only problem I’ve had with these is that the attachment clip on the back isn’t terribly solid and they tend to shatter if they fall on pavement.
This ensemble meets the requirements of rule 5.6 in the Reach the Beach handbook under required nighttime safety gear. Interestingly, the GoMotion vest has all the required features with the exception of the front blinking light. There is an exception in this rule that specifically names the GoMotion vest as an allowed alternative.
The batteries are included, making it easier for new owners with a lack of patience to assemble. The only hitch I had was that in doing so, I didn’t notice that one of the contacts in the battery box was jarred when I first put the batteries in. It took me a while to figure things out and then everything worked.
The lamp is located on the adjustable chest-height cross strap. It features three brightness settings, an adjustable beam width between spotlight and floodlight and vertical angle. Located on the back is a single rear red light with a single blinking pattern.
It appears to be a durable and well made product. One concern is moisture resistance for the electronic components, both from perspiration and weather elements. There were no noticeable problem areas on any of the outside and the battery box appears to have a gasket to keep moisture out. I’m sure I’ll find out how well it stands up over time.
Although considerably smaller in size then my current set up, it has reflective strips in strategic locations, and it is my hope that it has equivalent visibility. Here’s a comparison using car headlights:
Front
And Back
Clearly, the vest from Tractor Supply has better visibility because of more reflective surface area and more bright yellow material. However, all you really need to do is clue a driver in that there’s something worth avoiding in the road.
With winter days and dark mornings waning, I made it a point to get up earlier than usual to give it a test run. It is definitely heavier than the vest I’m used to (with the 3-AA battery pack on the lower rear of the vest), but I don’t think it would be too much of a problem. Basically, It’s not easy to forget I’m wearing it like the vest I’ve been using.
Also, with the lamp on the chest cross-strap and with normal torso motion, the light kept waving back and forth in front of me. That might drive me nuts after a while. However, beam width of the lamp can be adjusted from spot to flood, which I thought was interesting.
Pros:
- One piece nighttime safety solution. No searching (often on dark mornings) for a number of safety gear components. Just throw it on and go. You can even fine-tune the fit while running.
- The front-facing lamp is at chest level and it doesn’t interfere with visibility on occasions when you can see your breath. Kind of like fog lights on a car.
- Not wearing a lamp strapped to your head is kind of nice. Knuckle lights are another alternative, though.
- Good quality equipment.
- The batteries are in a single spot with no redundancy.
Cons:
- Heavier than the vest and other gear that I’m used to.
- The chest level light is anything but steady.
- The suggested retail price of this vest is $74.95. The issue of nighttime running safety can be accomplished a bit more affordably.
- The batteries are in a single spot with no redundancy.
Bottom line, It’s a good solution for nighttime running that might take some getting used to.
Barefoot Heretic 